Improvement in leather-crimping machines



S. W. JAMISON. Leather-Crimping Machine.

1No. 198,622. Patented Dec. 25, 1877 mi -w [Lir- ,y llllll llll ZZfihiesses= Milan 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

v 4Sheets-S heet -S. W. JAMISON. Leather-Crimping Machine.

No. 198,622. Patehted Dec. 25,1877.

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No. 198,622. 7 Patented Dec. 25,1877.

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S. W. JAMISO'N. Leather-Crimping Machine.

No. 198,622. Pat ented Dec. 25,1877.

N, PETERS, PHOTQ-UTMOGRAFNER. WASNINGTON, D, C.

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL w. JAMIsoN, OF NEWARK, NEW JEEsEY, ASSIGNOR ro s. w. JAMIsoN BOOT AND sHoEoRIMPnvo. MAOHINECOMPANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN LEATHlER-ORlIl/IPING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters'Patent No,198,622,'dated December 25, 1877; application filed July 5, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL-W. J AMISON, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improveinents in Machines for Crimping Leather for Boots and Shoes'an'd other articles, of which the following is a s'pecificationz' My improvements, subject-matter of thispatent, relate, first, to the manner in which the moving parts of the machine are arranged and operated in relation to the frame or ways, which are not movable, as in similar machinerywhich I have heretofore constructed, but are rigid; second, to the manner in which the crimping-jaws are operated so as to preserve their parallelism third, to the means whereby said jaws are self-adjusting fourth,'tothe manner in which the jaws are supported and hung in their respective trucks, so that they I p are independent of eachother, and free to adjust themselves; fifth, tothe manner of hanging the jaws by means of links, whereby friction is avoided; sixth, to the means, hereinafter described, by which the jaws aremoved up and down the ways and stopped automatt.

cally at the respective ends of their course;

-seventh, 'to a novel combination, with the boot-crimping machinery, of belt-shiftingde? vices operated by treadle, whereby the operator may at will start the machine with his foot',.leaving his hands free to hold the article to be or being crimpedin' its proper place; eighth, to the combination, with the crimping mechanism, of special mechanism for preventing wrinkles being formed on the leather, under the arrangement hereinafter shown and described, whereby the wrinklepreventer automatically moves out of the way,

to allow of the ready and convenient removal of crimped and smoothed leather from the ma chine, and of the insertion therein of another piece of leather to be crimped; ninth, to the. peculiar shape of the crimping-jaws, whereby action. on the heel portion of the leather is continued after the toe or top part shall have passed through the crimper; tenth, to the mannerin which the tree or form is, held and supported, allowing of. its ready removal and insertion in lieu thereof of differently-shaped trees or forms, substantially as hereinafter shown and set forth. i Q

To enable others to make and use my said invention, I shall now proceed to describe, by reference to the drawings, the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine made in accordance with my. said invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation 1 .with portions cut away. Fig. 3 is a slde view,

partly in elevation and partly in section; Fig.

4, a detail view on an .enlarged scale, partly in elevation and partly in section; and Fig. 5,

a perspective view of the shifting device.

Each letter representsthe same part in all The working parts of the machine are snp A portedby a pedestal and stationary-frame, A.

To this frame are secured the upright ways K, upon which slide the two trucks T and T, moved up and down by means of upright screw-shafts B, which are located one on each side of .the machine.

.gThG shafts pass through screw-threaded boxes on bosses on'the trucks, and they are rotated by means of beveled gears on their lower ends, which engage like gearing on the jaws. The .lower'crimping-jaws areattached by means of vertical hinges h h, whereby they are allowed to slightly swing horizontally,

which motion in the jaw D is controlled or limited by'theth u'mb-screws a on the front and back of the truck T. 7

The jaw D is hung on hinges h to a rectan gular box, F, which, within the truck: T, has

a lateral. movement, which is efi'ected automatically as the trucksmove upward or down wardthat is to say, moving toward the central plate or form as the trucks descend, thus effecting the pressure on the leather between the two jaws, andmoving away fromsaid plate when the trucks rise.

- Both jaws, being hung on vertical hinges,

as'above'd escribed, are free to adjust them-' G, the upper end or shank of which is screwthreaded, and works in a screw-threaded sleeve, 9, fast to the cross-beam in the head of the frame. By means of a hand-crank, g, the bar G is madeadjustable, to more or less project into the truck.

The arrangement of the bar is such as to come in contact, at a certain point of the elevation of the truck, with the short end of the lever H. When the truck is at its upper position- -that is, before the leather is acted upon-the bar G is in contact with the shorter arm of the lever H within the truck T, elevating the long end. As the truck descends the short end of the lever H slides along the bar G until it reaches the end thereof, when, actuated by the weight I on the longer end, it

-will tilt and rise, causing the longer end of the lever H to be depressed and fall.

The shaft forming the fulcrum on which the I lever Hmoves has a right and a left hand screwthread cut on each end, respectivelyworking in the truck T and in the rectangular box F. As, therefore, the long end of the sleeve H descends the screws force the box out, and with it the jaw D, toward the opposite jaw D.

The weight I is arranged to slide upon the long end of lever H, so that at the beginning of the downward motion of the trucks it may be near the fulcrum of the lever, and that, as the trucks descend, they may be thrown out to press the jaws forward with increasing force.

This is effected by the means and in the manner as follows: To one side of the frame (preferably in the rear) is secured a raised or projecting track, M, parallel with the way K, upon which the truck T runs. To the part of this truck which embraces the way K is secured a bracket or sleeve holding a shaft, which carries on one end atumbler, L, and on the other a crank, Z. The former consists of a double shoe, having two sliding surfaces at an angle of about sixty degrees to each other in two different planes, one corresponding to that of the raised track M, the other to the face of the frame to which the track M is attached.

It will be understood that when the tumbler is opposite the track M the sliding surface corresponding to this track will be in contact with it, as shown in Fig. 3, and slide upon it until it shall have reached the lower end, when, actuated by weight, as will be presently described, it will, upon its axis, rotate and tumble over until arrested by the other sliding surface on com-ing in contact with the face of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1. In thus rotating the tumbler describes an arc of a circle of about three hundred degrees. The shaft upon which the tumbler is rigidly mounted, rotat' ing with the tumbler, causes the crank on its other end todescribe a similar arc of a circle. This crank being connected with the weight I by means of a connecting-rod, l, and the lever H, which carries the weight I, having its fulcrum at a fixed relation to the axis of the tumbler, as shown in the drawings, the operation will be as follows: When the lever H is in its uppermost position and the .tumbler on the track, then the crank-pin, the joint of the connecting-rod with the weight I, and the fulcrum of the lever H will form a triangle of which the lever is the base. As the lever H descends the relative position of the fulcrum and crank-pin will remain the same so long as the tumbler keeps on the track. The weight I, however, will be shifted slightly toward the free end of the lever until the three points come as nearly as possible in one line; but

when the tumbler reaches the end of the track, then, in turning over and describing with the crank an arc of a circle of about three hundred degrees, the weight willbe rapidly pushed out toward the end of the lever now depressed.

The weight thus thrown upon the end of the lever causes the right and left hand screw,

tached to the trucks T T in the following manner: Both the jaws E and E are secured at their lower ends by projecting hinge-joints, v

the jaw E by hinge e, which is movable, as

hereinafter described, and the jaw E by a fixed or immovable hinge, c, and at their upper ends both jaws are attached to their respective trucks by togglejoint levers, operated by the handles 0 O to tilt the upper end of both or either of the jaws backward by depressing both or either of said handles.

The hinge e of the jaw E is attached to a box, P, operated by a lever, H, weight I, tumbler L, and screws, as already above described with reference to the lower jaw D. The fulcrum of this lever O is fixed to the truck T; but the links 0 are connected to the box I, so that, independently of the tilting motion of its top, the jaw E is moved bodily by the abovementioned lever, weight, cam, and screws toward its opposite jawE, pro-v ducin g apressure on the leather betweent-hem.

The tracks of the tumbler L are arranged to cause the jaws E E to press with increased pressure against each other after, when oppo-,

By the. above arrangement of the mechanism of the two kinds of jaws, it will be seen i that 'they are hung independentlyof one another, that they open parallel to each other, that they are selfadjusting, and that they move with but littlefriction.

The adjustable bar G is attachedto the upper portion of the machine, and is moved veritically by a screw within the boxing or sleeve 9' worked by the handle g. The upper end of the bar projects downward, and as the trucks are being raised it enters a hole in the top of truck T, and, successively coming in contact with the. short arms of the levers H and H, depresses them. This bar is stationary during the process of crimping, but, by the handle g, can be elevated or depressed within narrow limits, so as to operate the levers H and H, and through them the jaws E and D, earlier or later in the process of crimping, according. as the thickness of the leather or other material requires.

The movement of the trucks atthe, upper and lower end of the stroke is arrested automatically, as follows a. The main driving-shaft 1, which is provided with pinions 2 and 2, meshing inwith pinions 3 3 on the vertical right-hand and left-hand screw-shafts B B,

extends laterally from the frame of the machine, and carries three pulleys, 4, 5, and 6, the central oneof which is fast. Two belts,

running-in opposite directions, are engaged in the rings 7 and 8 of bell-crank levers, having their fulcra upon a fixed or stationary frame or bracket overhanging the pulleys. Pins 9.

and 10 on the end of shorter arms of these le- 'vers are engaged in a slot. of peculiar formation in the sliding bar 11. The slot is so shaped that in shifting the-bar 11 in its bear-V.

lever, 14, which is pivoted at 15 on the fulcrum of a bell-crank,one end,1 6, of which is free,

while the other end, 17, is connected, by means of connecting-rod 18, to a similar bell-crank, 19, on top of the machine. These bell-cranks are arranged in the path of the trucks, so that I when the latter reach the terminal position of their course a cam, 20, on either of them shall strike the free end'of one of the bell-cranks and cause it to tilt, and thus operate the shifting-bar of the belt-carryin g levers. When the trucks descend and the cam 20 strikes'the lower bell-crank at 16, then the lever 14 will be forced to push the curved bar 12, so as to bring the belts over .5 and 6; but when the trucks ascend and the cam 20 strikes the upper bell-crank at 21, then the action will be reversed, and the belts shifted onto 4 and 5, so that,automatically, the belts are shifted at the end of each stroke, and the action of the and, in order to prevent the belts flOIll accidentally shifting, I provide the hand-lever with a latch or locking device, consisting of a second hand-lever, q, parallel with the first, so that both can be grasped by the operator at once. This second hand-lever g is, by means of a spring, actuated to lodge in anotch in the stationary curved locking-plate 24. To release it the operator compresses the two handles, and the two levers may be worked in unison to shift the belts. To start'the machine with the foot,'leaving the hands free to adjust the leather. to be crimped, I have provided a treadle, Q, which, by means of the rod q, operates an angular cam, 25, moving the handle g toward the handleq thus freeing the catch, holding the handles in their central position,-and, depressing them, shifts the belt to crowd the leather toward the heel of the 4 boot; but as there is a tendency to wrinkle where it doubles over the top of the tree N, I

have devised, to obviate this, a wrinkle-preventer. This consists of a flat piece of metal, R,

of the same thickness as the tree, pendent from a rod, B, that slides in guides r inthe head of the machine. 0n the lower end of the rod R is a cross-piece, 4, that is caught by the notch r in the upper jaws E E as they rise, thus lifting the wrinkle-preventer out of the way, to allow the leather to be placed in position to be crimped. As the jaws descend the lowerend of the preventer, which conforms in shape to the upper edge of the tree N, comes in contact with the leather just before the upper jaws begin to act upon it, and during the remainder of the descent is firmly held in. that position by suitable adjustable weights or springs applied to the top of the'rod R. v

To operate the wrinkle-preventer automatically, I have devised the following arrangement of mechanism: After both jaws have wholly passed over the leather, the projection .s on the side of the truck T (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) comes in contact with the end of the bent lever S, depressing the rod S and liberating the catch S when the weight V on the arm V of the cam-lever falls, elevating the farther end V of this lever, which, catch. ing the pin c, Fig. 1, in the rod R,e1evates the said rod, and with it the wrinkle-preventing plate R, allowing the latter to be removed.

and wrinkle-preventer plate R to descend until the catch 8 moved by the spring s ,'again engages the arm V The rod B is, at the same time, raised by the cross-piece r elevatin g the wrinkle-preventer, as above described, while another piece of leather is being placed 1 in position.

The bottom of the lower or crimping jaws D D is made to conform with the shape of the top of the plate or tree N, whatever that shape may be, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. The top of the jaws is nearly straight, so that they can still operate upon the corner or heel of the boot after they have passed over the leg and toe. This I find to be absolutely necessary in order to get all of the stretch out of the leather or other article, and make the corner of the boot long enough.

The treeor form N is supported on dovetailed slides X, and moves with freedom laterally to respond to the position of the jaws. But instead of the tree being firmly fastened to the. slide, I attach it by fitting it in a groove,

- held there firmly by a pin, .00, on the front and back of the machine. By this arrangement the plate can readily and speedily be removed and another of. the same or differ-,

ent shapev substituted by simply removing the two pins as.

Having thus described my said invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In machinery for crimping leather and other material for boots and shoes and other articles, the combination, with a crimping tree or plate, of jaws for crimping or smoothing the material, arranged in pairs, and mounted in trucks movable u'pon stationary and rigid ways, and mechanism forimparting lateral movement to, said jaws toward each other,

substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the movable truck,

of a jaw-c'arrying box, movable within said truck, substantiallyas herein shown and described.

3. The combination, with the movable truck and jaw-carrying box, of a right and left hand screw, forming the fulcrum of a lever, to be operated from without the truck, substantially as shown and set forth.

4. The combination, withthe jaw carrying box, operated to move within and transversely to the path of the truck by. means of a right and left hand screw, of an automatically operated lever to rotate said screw, substantially as herein shown and set forth.

5. The combination, with the movable truck onthe stationary frame and the jaw, operated by a lever, as described, of an adjustable stop fast to a fixed portion of the frame, and actuating the lever within said movable truck to turn the screw at the proper intervals of time, substantially in the manner and for the 'purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with the jaw hung upon a box operated by right. and left hand screw and lever, of the automatically -.shifted weight upon the lever, for operation substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The jaws supported and hung substantially as herein shown and described, whereby each jaw of any pair of jaws may adjust itself independently of the other with respect to the crimping-tree, as herein set forth.

8. In a machine for crimping boots and shoes, the jaws hung to the trucks by means of links, substantially as herein and shown described.

9. The smoothing-jaws, arranged in opposite pairs, both being attached to their respective trucks by hinge-joints, substantially as shown and set forth, so as to admit of each being tilted upon its lower end, as described.

10. The smoothing-jaws, arranged in opposite pairs, the one being hinged at its lower end to the truck, while the lower end of the smoothing-jaws, of the mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the hinge by which its lower end is secured to the truck is made automatically to move toward and away from the crimping-tree, as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The combination, withthe belt-shifting device, of the system of levers, bell-cranks,

and connecting-rods herein shown and de-.

scribed, operated by cam fast to one of the trucks, to shift the belts automatically, and to reverse the machine at the completion of eitherstroke, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14, In a crimping-machine, and in combination with the. belt shifting device and the means herein described for automatically op-, erating thesame, the hand lever and latch,

with the angular cam. and treadle to operate the same by hand or foot, at the pleasure of the operator, substantially as shown and set forth.

15. In boot and shoe leather crimping machinery, and in combination with the crimping-tree and crimping-jaws, and whether the latter are or not used in connection with smooth ing jaws, the wrinkle-preventer, the same consisting of a plate the lower edge of which conforms with the upper or. crimping edge of the tree, the same being arranged for operation substantially as herein shown and described.

16. The combination, with the wrinkle-preventer, of automatic means, substantiallyas herein shown anddescribcd, for lifting it off and dropping it upon the tree at the proper time, as herein described.

17. The crimping-jaws, shaped substantially as herein shown and described, so that their action upon the leather on the tree shall becontinued on the heel or cornerportion of the same after the shall have ceased to act upon the other portions of the leather.

18. The crimping-tree supports, made, sub- 

